Premiered on Hulu May 9th
Abby is a high school loner. She hires a stripper to teach her the ropes about sex in Hulu’s hilarious raunchy comedy Summer of 69, directed by Jillian Bell.
It’s a common tale, the high school comedy of a virgin or virgins trying to have that first sexual experience. Whether it’s Losin’ It, American Pie, Superbad, or the decidedly non-teenager but working in the tropes 40 Year Old Virgin, it’s a tradition for a new take every few years. It’s been six years and a pandemic since Booksmart; we’re ready for this generation’s take. That might be Summer of 69, a blast of irrelevant energy of sexual awakenings and understandings.
In Abby’s case, it’s not regular sex: she wants to 69 Max, her lifelong crush. She’s told that Max loves the action by her confidant, the mascot of her Catholic school, who, in one of a handful of absurd touches, is (nearly) always in costume even in flashbacks to their childhood. Too bad she knows little about sex (even the most awkward teen knows all there is, but it’s the premise – just go with it), spending her time running game streams in her room. To fix this missing knowledge base of her life, she hires stripper Santa Monica (aka Santi) to teach her. Santa Monica herself is a rut, needing $20,000 to save her club from being sold to a slimy, greedy businessman (to take another 80s plot into the fold), but also to determine if she’s where she wants to be ten years out from high school.
The mismatched pair has amazing chemistry. The hilariously strung-together language of filth and confusion fit naturally, and they play off one another as if they are a long-time comedy team. While the beats are known to anyone who has seen a flick like this before, the ups and downs of an unexpectef friendship, helping one another work through their hang-ups and take the next step in their lives, etc., they work through the familiar with their particular flow The ribald script is honed; wild in the verbiage but still feeling natural. With people in front and behind the camera coming from Saturday Night Live and the American High comedy cabal (who have been making high-quality quality younger-oriented comic content for a decade since the underseen Banana Split), it’s no surprise.
Also to thank is Sam Modelo as Abby and her intense likability. She’s awkward and clueless, playing with effortless sweetness. This is her first big role after the atrocious That ’90s Show (not her fault), here’s to more. Though the “know nothing about sex” is a strange character note, her other oddities, such as occasional flights of fancy (leading to a few of the funniest scenes in the film). She plays against Saturday Night Live’s Chloe Fineman, also landing the right timber of performance of the tougher Santi. She’s more than a mere reaction to Abby’s misunderstanding, building a great take.
They’re backed up by a very familiar supporting cast to comedy fans. It’s weird to see Charlie Day play sleazy, but he’s funny. Natalie Morales has a small but needed part. But, it’s the trio of Santa Monica’s coworkers, Nicole Byers, Liza Koshy, and Paula Pell, who bring a buffet of laughs with their well honed comic chops, especially Pell as the bad at math (a great running gag) club owner Betty Spaghetti (the story of the name is a highlight). I don’t know if they were threatening to run away from the film, but sadly, they vanish for an incredibly long time, not unlike Abby’s fantasy sequences. A few drop-ins during Abby and Santi’s adventures indicate a longer cut that sees them more.
Similarly, there is precious little seen of Max and the rest of the school world. It’s their senior graduation, a big moment, but anything giving more to Abby’s life is missing. There are points made early on about various personalities, so when they reappear at the climax, there are questions, “where were all of you before? Am I supposed to know more about Max?”
Director Jillian Bell, working from a script by herself, Jules Bryne, and Liz Nico, creates great comic timing, working with the performers with ease. She should, having been a scene stealer for years. In her first directorial effort, she uses what’s learned in 22 Jump Street, Brittany Runs a Marathon, as writer on SNL, and dozens of other credits. While the supporting world around Abby and Santi may be scant, the central relationship has a flow and energy thanks to a solid directorial hand to build great character. Bell’s enjoyment of the material and understanding of how to bring it to life are noticeable. It’s appreciating in a first-time film, to let the story and characters lead the way, avoiding distracting flourishes often found in first-time directors coming from acting.
Summer of 69 utilizes a great soundtrack, mostly made up of artists I haven’t heard of (I’m old!), outside of some familiar ’80s needle drops. The choices are bangers and helped set the feel and tone, I found myself tapping, getting into it. Weirdly, the title song by Bryan Adams is not present in any form, except my karaoke rendition during the credits.
Jillian Bell’s Summer of 69 is a very funny entry to the high school underdog sex farce subgenre, with two great performances at the center. While I would have liked more of the supporting characters to build the film, the heart and hilarity of the whole work.